The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-08-09
1MMSNsE WHEAT FIELDS.


hE.,. 1MMENsE WHEAT FIELDS. ",
] passed through immense wheat plan
tations In Manitoba. They extended io
miles on every side. As far as could sc,
In every direction was an unbroken Ok
panse Of wheat. Tho country is 'deat
level, and one can see a long distance.
was astonished at the great extent OF thu
grain. ! travelled hours and hours, ane
still tho unbroken prairie Of wheat ex
tended In all directions as far as L coult
see. True, there were houses at places
but these did not limit the fields OF grow
ing grain. 1have never seen anything ID
equal 1t. I had thought that had seen
the largest ranches Of wheat in the world
but when came into Manitoba l saw
greater. ia N
Neither Is the extent in acres and miles
the only way in which the quantity Of
this wheat Ia to be measured. I have
said that it does not surpass in quality
that Of other countries, nor do I think
that the yield per acre is in excess OF that
OF other good wheat districts; but tbs Ger.
tainly very little bshind that OF the very
best. | have never see1 grain thicker on
the ground, nor batter filled. The straw
is not tall. hardly averaging eighteen
inches; but 1t stands so even and go thick
together that the tops OF the straw are as
level 40 a floor, and it looks like one
might almost walk upon them. aEr sE
This Is only the commencement, for the
portion OF tho country already under cni'
tivation ls Insignificant beside OF that still
in the wild state. And as yet ths grain
grown north oil ths United States Is no.
enough to influence tho market OF the
world; but the day. is at hand when the
influence will be felt. A. railroad nov
runs from Winnipeg to the United States,
and another road, Bix or seven hundred
miles III length IL now surveyed and
work begun on 1t, to 20 north to Hudson
Bay. Then the branch roads from this
road aud from the Canadian Pacific, and
the Canadian Pacific itself. all these will
make net work OF lines which will opsn
q country large enough for tan empires,
and convert it from deso!sss plain into
one OF the greatest agricultural regions
on earth. 81 55=i
+ ll5E OTHER RESOURCES.
I think that wheat does better in thit
country than any other grain. Barley
and oats are grown, but they do not seem
to do 80 well. 1ssw not one stalk Of corn
nor did see one fruit tree. am told
that strawberries, raspbsrries and plums
do. well. The climate IL too eo!d Tor gene',
al berries aud iruits. Potatoes look well
this yesr, but they say that this is the firs
year that they have amounted to any
thing. The peason is much later. Wheat
harveet begins about the Goth Of August
There Eeems to be no. particular time to
moT hay. Tbs hay crop is only the wild
grass of the plains saw no cultivated
grasses, nuch aa timothy or blue grass
The farmers NOV down enough OF the
prairie grass to last them rs hay through
winter. There ia no particular limit to the
supply. Hs who wanta but little cuts but
litle, and he who wants much, cuts what
be wants. It grows wild on toe plsins
and seems to ID ises to all. ! don't think
that the hay from this graHs Is very good.
1t looks coarse and rough, like grass that
grows in swsmps and on the margins oil
swales, and in damp places, under the
shade Of trees. II is more like Saw
2ress,N 5pr hulrushes, than like onl
timothy Of orchard grass, Yet, the people
tell me that 1t Is good proylnder, and thai
cattle live well on it, even in the rigid
winters Of Manitoba. y
CHARACTER OF THE SETTLEMENTS.
The PROVINCE OF Manitoba is much mort
settled than l hsd expected to find it, al
though by far the larger part OF it is yet
wild land. Sometimes would trsyel ten
miles and not SEQ house, and again fol
ten miles it would bs as thickly dotted
with dwellings and barns IS Ohio. But
the buildings are much more beggsrly
than there Is any need Of their being
Few OF them are more than ona story
high, and at leas. hall OF them are covered
| with straw instead OF shingles. Some o
the barns are pnssably good, but the mos
OF them are ou!y bad sheds simply pens
with straw piled on top Tor a roof ant
against the sides ior Notwithstanding.
The people are mostly English speak.
ing. TAere are some French and German
indians are plentiful and wretched. They
go about half naked in oil their hereditary
lazipess and degradation, and don't seen
to DO tr7ipgtn do anything for themselves
The half breeds are shade better, Eu
they are low enough. 1t was here 'tha
Rlel's Rebellion had its existence a shor
time ago. r: s. = % rs
The horssa and cattle Of Manitoba art
nothing superior nor inferior 10 .thoGo o
the, country further south in the Unitee
States. Y 5 i ~. t'S5e5, y; 81 &.
l can cay but little concerning Hchooll
and churches in thiscountry. l have hat
No meara Of collecting data on the sub
ject. l nave see3 nc, church and nj
school house that recognized to be such
but while I was Ia Winnipeg I was exam
lining the provinces Directory, and tount
among the officers that Of school oversser
And in one Of the hotels found care
stating that alfaneeru would he Taleota,
at . certain church If they wished 70 at
tend. From this it seems that:churchel
and schools are NOT gnkuoWn. i. N.
st55!s ,,} 49, Nj Y Old II y7}.1f t.'il3f 7s-